Opportunities for the use of hazelnut shell as a lightweight aggregate in the production of concrete

Abstract

Today, the increase in heating and energy costs has increased the importance of insulation in buildings and new searches are being made for this purpose. As a result of these searches, studies on the production of lightweight concrete have come to the forefront, to improve the insulation properties of concrete. In this study, the usability of hazelnut shells, one of the important agricultural products of Turkey, which are post-harvest waste materials as a lightweight aggregate in concrete, was investigated. To this end, concrete was produced by replacing the aggregate with hazelnut shell by 3%, 6%, 9%, 12% and 15%, and the physical, mechanical and thermal properties of this concrete, were examined. As a result of the study, it was determined that hazelnut shell, which is an agricultural waste, could be used as aggregate in the production of concrete and that lightweight concrete with sufficient strength and durability and improved heat and sound insulation could be produced, provided that the amount of hazelnut shell to be added to the mixture would not be more than 10% of the aggregate.